Four Years Is Quite Short for A President to Perform – Jonathan
- Ex-president wonders what a president is doing in the office for fourteen years.
- Supports a single tenure presidency.
Immediate former President Goodluck Jonathan has said four years is not enough for a president to perform.
According to the 1999 constitution, a president is elected for a term of four years. He has the chance o re-contesting for second term.
Speaking against the constitutional four years term given to Presidents, Jonathan the time is too little for someone to change a country.
READ: Osoba: Jonathan had enough time to implement 2014 CONFAB recommendation
Term limits
On the constitutional term limits summit in Niamey, Niger Republic, Jonathan equally frowned at those who stay up to fourteen years, questioning what the person would be doing in the office.
“When Professor Wade (Senegal) was in his last tenure he changed the constitution and extended the term limits from five to seven years. He thought he would win the election. But Macky Sall reduced it to five years. We must commend dynamic leaders like that.
“There is no need for one person to sit for 14, years doing what? The country is not your personal estate. Countries are free to amend their laws. Just like the president of Niger Republic said, different nations have different ways of doing things, so it is better they have their own way of doing things. I agree to that.
“Most countries in Africa emulate America – that is a stable country, and take “four, four years” like Nigeria, Kenya and Ghana.
“Four years is quite a short period for a country that is developing for a person who wants to change the country to do much. In Nigeria we just finished the election and some people are already talking about 2023 election. It is distracting.’
He also pointed out that that is why some people came up with the idea of a single tenure so a president can sit down and plan all his programmes for the good of the country.
“We are too distracted with these elections. Why must we waste money every four years to elect a leader? Those are the things that agitate our minds.”
